The truth about monitoring

[Marzzz]

So I decided to go with the Focal Alpha Evo 50 monitors, partly from recommendation by Sweetwater but also because they fit my price range and because I liked the form factor with front port. 

 

 

This is a preliminary setup, I needed to get the monitor up over my laptop. I am sure some will comment on how wide apart they are, but at least I am sitting at the center of an isosceles-bordering-on-equilateral triangle. If I had more room I would move them closer together behind my gear. But at least on first naive listening with both source material and playing my synths, it sounds very clear, has good stereo image (I hear the singer standing in the center, so to speak) and the bass is enough for me; low notes come in strong, and unlike my long-lost ADAM Sub8 the windows down't rattle! From my point of view it is just nice to be able to take off the headphones....!

 

(hmmm...I thought I could just upload the pic?)

 

[KuruPrionz]

Nice!

[Dave Bryce]

I'm replacing my old ADAM A7s, finally.  Been using them in a 2.1 configuration with a Sub10.  I'm used to the folded ribbon thing, so I got a pair of HEDD Type 7s to replace the A7s.

 

I also have a set of Amphion One15s that I use, along with my Audeze headphones.

 

dB

[Dave Bryce]

21 hours ago, Marzzz said:

(hmmm...I thought I could just upload the pic?)

 

 GIF, JPG, JPEG and PNG only.  HEIC not supported.

 

I fixed it for you.

 

dB

[Marzzz]

3 hours ago, Dave Bryce said:

 

 GIF, JPG, JPEG and PNG only.  HEIC not supported.

 

I fixed it for you.

 

dB

Ah, thank you! So is HEIC now supported, or should I convert image files for upload?

[Dave Bryce]

The latter.  I converted your pic to JPEG and re-embedded.

 

dB

[zephonic]

On 1/26/2022 at 2:50 PM, Dave Bryce said:

I'm replacing my old ADAM A7s, finally.  Been using them in a 2.1 configuration with a Sub10.  I'm used to the folded ribbon thing, so I got a pair of HEDD Type 7s to replace the A7s.

 

I also have a set of Amphion One15s that I use, along with my Audeze headphones.

 

dB

 

I have the HEDD Type 05's, first-gen, pretty happy with them, surprising LF extension for the size. The 7's were too big for my room.

 

One thing I like about the first-gen is the all-analog signal path, I believe the Mk2's have DSP that can not be bypassed. Not to say that's bad, of course, just different.

 

[Dave Bryce]

I didn’t love the original Type 7 - I went with the Type 20…but found I liked the 2.1 thing with my old A7s better, so I sold the 20s.

 

I’ve heard rave reviews of the new 7s.  I am under the impression the DSP can be bypassed…but I’m also open to the possibility that what it’s doing might be a good thing.

 

dB

[zephonic]

11 hours ago, Dave Bryce said:

I didn’t love the original Type 7 - I went with the Type 20…but found I liked the 2.1 thing with my old A7s better, so I sold the 20s.

 

I’ve heard rave reviews of the new 7s.  I am under the impression the DSP can be bypassed…but I’m also open to the possibility that what it’s doing might be a good thing.

 

dB

 

Oh yeah, I'm sure they had good reasons to use it.

 

Freddie said DSP can't be bypassed and adds ~6ms latency without phase correction. With the Linearizer engaged that would be between 10-18 ms depending on the model. Of course, you'd engage phase correction mostly during mixdown/mastering, when latency is not an issue.

 

But you still have your Amphions which are all-analog, correct? So that would be a killer combination, classic and high tech.

 

I have tried the computer-based Linearizer on my classic 05's and it makes a difference, it "dries up" the sound, but with noticeable latency on my system.

 

[Dave Bryce]

😎

 

I’ll know what’s the most important - how they sound in my room - soon enough.  

 

dB

[Dave Bryce]

21 hours ago, zephonic said:

Freddie said DSP can't be bypassed and adds ~6ms latency without phase correction. With the Linearizer engaged that would be between 10-18 ms depending on the model.

 

We're not talking about the same thing.  Well, we sort of are...

 

I’m interested in what they're doing that's attempting to compensate for artifacts within the box.  I'm actually a big fan of that sort of technology - I got way into the power of using FIRs to control problems when I had the chance to work with David Gunness on the Presonus Sceptres.  I'm actually counting on that to change some of the things I didn't like about the Mk1s in my room.

 

I was referring more to the Linearizer, which can be bypassed.  Fully understandable how we could cross wires there.

 

dB

[drawback]

I've been looking for a monitor upgrade from my JBL 305Ps. There's a pair of Neumann KH120s on CL locally, but having read that a couple of you have HEDD speakers they've piqued my interest. Any comment on the HEDD 05s vs something like the Neumanns or similar price point? Looking at the smaller footprint of 5" as my desk is shallow and the room is small. Front ported preferred, no sub. Used primarily for monitoring live playing, but also some non-pro recording.

[Doerfler]

Hey Rod, due to the size of your room, you might want to check out the IK Multimedia MTM's. I bought them as an addition to the Focal Alpha 8's I already own. 

Loving them, myself. 

 

https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/iloudmtm/?pkey=iloud-mtm-pair

[Dave Bryce]

1 hour ago, Doerfler said:

Hey Rod, due to the size of your room, you might want to check out the IK Multimedia MTM's. I bought them as an addition to the Focal Alpha 8's I already own. 

Loving them, myself. 

 

https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/iloudmtm/?pkey=iloud-mtm-pair

 

I have a set of the IK MTMs in my office.  They're actually pretty great.

 

dB

[drawback]

Thanks guys. Sorry for the late response. My fault for not updating my notification prefs! 

 

Those iLouds look very cool – I will defiinetly give them a look.

 

Cheers